Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-24
Reeds Checker PiayinU.
PlrTSBVRGS PHENOMENON Pulling TIE CRACI
CHICAGO PLAYERS.

PlTTSBURGS PHENOMENON Pulling TIE CRACK
CHICAGO PLAYERS.
From The Chicago Mail.
AZ the headquarters OF the Chicago Checker
CLUB deeply interested crowd OF lovers OF this
scientific game has gathered every day for the
| past week. The attraction has been the playinr
OF James D. Reed. jr.. OF Plt;sburg who Is visit
Ing the city. Sir. Reed performs feat In checker
pay Ing waich was never witnessed before In Chi
cleo, Playing number Of games simultaneously
and with his eyes bindfoltlet Last night In the
presence oi MAJ reporter and nEInIer OF or bprS
NJ Reed played -FOUR games at the same time
without booking at either OF the Jour boards His
opponents were players who In local circles are
con5iIeEed experts at the game.
ne Tour players were grouped together I'm one
corner OF the room, and eacn board was placed
| a man TO make the moves directed bv the m n
VINO was 10 play against them all. The board ,
Were numbered one, two, three and four, and thea
W!tA ais back 10 the boards. Mir. Reel announces:
tAat he would pay the whites, and then the
| player opened the game by moving, his move
| being announced 10 Reed. The latter directed a
move liz reply, and then passed TO board No. 3
where the same performance was repeated, and so
Returning 10 the first board the player moved
aSdl, and the man In the corner moved In reply
All through the game, or rather four games,
REED never Jailed 10 remember accurately the
position on eacn board when ne came 10 it, In
one instance. On board 3, he made move which
he quickly retTacted.
"1f move there, he said, 'I'il get the worst OF
It,"
NO, you won't" said the player at the board
"lOu could move 1910 and come out evenr
NO, couldn't" said Reed, and, sitting as he
was In The corner, 10 feet away from the board
and with his back 10 1t, he went five six moves
ahead, and showed his opponent and those VINO
were looking On that the move which he had taken
| back WAS j mistake.
Any person familiar with the game OF checkers
can see what Il wonderful feat or memory il Is to
direct 4 game on 1our bOlrdS at once. Not only
must the payer remember the last move made BY
himself and his pponent. but ne must keep each
| board in his mind andb study out the probable
| moves OF his opponents.
| vi the iour games Reed won three falling only
on board 1our, where Old checker enthusiast
/ was playing, a game he learned forty years ago.
and which generally beats the most Skiiful plly-
1 erS OF the present day when II Is brought out
against them the first time.
| Reel IS tWenty-eight years Old and native Of
PitloourS. lie won iOcd! fame there as 4 checker
| player when mere boy, being at that time a
| carrier Tor the PttsbuFg Leader. He Is small
man, with shoulders slightly stopped, and sharp,
] thin feature.
| Il have played checkers" he said to the Mail
reporter, all my me- and never get tired Of IL.
nave played as high as ten games Simultaneous
~ anu won seven. have also played both checkers
| and cileSS at the same time"
| ABOUT year ago Mr.. Reed went to Europe and
spent several months in England and Scotland. In
al the princlpa! cities and towns there he failed
/ TO md anybody who could yanquiSh him. Next
( week he Will 20 TO Boston to play for the cham
pi0ILshlp Oh America. Ills opponent win be Samuel
d. Barker, who has held the Championship for
I some time.